Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee
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Key senators on the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee are seeking answers into how the contractor employee responsible for the mass shooting at the Washington Navy Yard that killed 12 people obtained his security clearance. In a Sept. 18 letter, Sens. Claire McCaskill (D-Mo.) and Jon Tester (D-Mont.), requested the Office of Personnel Management's inspector general look into what type of clearance the shooter, identified as 34-year-old Aaron Alexis, held as well as what federal agency conducted his background investigation.
September 18, 2013 -
The Senate postal reform bill calls on the Office of Personnel Management to change the way it calculates how much the U.S. Postal Service must pay into the Federal Employees Retirement System and the Civil Service Retirement System. The change could result in a $6 billion surplus for the debt-burdened USPS.
August 02, 2013 -
Sen. Tom Coburn (R-Okla.) said he wants an answer from Office of Personnel Management and the White House on how the Affordable Care Act will apply to lawmakers and their staff before moving forward with Katherine Archuleta's nomination to serve as OPM director.
July 31, 2013 -
Senate committee members introduced the Federal Real Property Asset Management Reform Act of 2013 to address the management of federal real property. The government is the largest owner of property in the country, owning more than 1 million properties.
July 31, 2013 -
Federal CIO Steve VanRoekel offered the administration's first public comment since the major IT reform bill passed the House as part of the 2014 Defense Authorization bill. Rep. Gerry Connolly (D-Va.) offered a blunt warning to the White House if it does not support the legislation.
July 26, 2013 -
Despite being under investigation, Alejandro Mayorkas testified today on becoming the next deputy secretary for the Department of Homeland Security. Mayorkas said that claims he exercised undue influence on cases in his agency, U.S. Citizen and Immigration Services, are false.
July 25, 2013 -
Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee members pressed Katherine Archuleta on her qualifications, how she will address the retirement claims backlog and on the use of official time. Archuleta appears headed down the path toward confirmation.
July 17, 2013 -
A group of Democrats and Republicans, called the No Labels Caucus, plans to introduce nine bills this week focused on government effectiveness and efficiency. The strategic sourcing legislation would require agencies to save at least $10 billion a year. Senators say agencies need the right incentives to buy smarter.
July 16, 2013 -
John Thompson made his case to be the next head of the Census before the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee Tuesday. He said technology is the key to cutting costs and improving the count's accuracy.
July 10, 2013 -
The Energy Department's Office of Environmental Management (EM) faced scrutiny in a hearing Thursday that questioned EM's contract management. DOE has been on the GAO's High Risk List for contract management since 1990.
July 01, 2013 -
GSA acting administrator Dan Tangherlini said the agency wants to work with Congress to offer creative ways for agencies to maximize their assets. In its own headquarters, the GSA is using modern techniques to save space.
June 19, 2013 -
Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee members support Dan Tangherlini to be the permanent administrator of the General Services Administration. Lawmakers, however, wanted more answers about the troubled SAM program and the recent IG report on management interference of contract negotiations.
June 19, 2013 -
House Oversight and Government Reform Committee Chairman Darrell Issa (R-Calif.) released a draft postal reform bill that supports ending Saturday mail delivery and would modify how the agency pre-funds retiree health-care payments that now threaten to sink the agency into financial insolvency. Congressional postal reform efforts have remained dormant so far this year, even as the Postal Service's financial outlook has worsened.
June 13, 2013 -
Rep. Darrell Issa (R-Calif.) plans to offer the Federal IT Acquisition Reform Act (FITARA) as an amendment later this week to the 2013 Defense Authorization bill. The Senate held a hearing looking at the best approach to empower federal CIOs. The Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee heard that transparency, visibility and senior leadership are common traits among successful CIOs.
June 12, 2013 -
The Medicare program made $44 billion in improper payments in 2013. A bipartisan bill designed to prevent fraudsters from milking the system calls for contractors to increase accuracy and for beneficiaries to report fraud.
June 11, 2013